Thursday, March 31, 2005

Howard wants people to "fear" the police

Claiming he would "put the fear back into the hearts of the yobs", he said: "It's time to give the yobs a dose of the fear they've been dishing out to the rest of us.
"I use that word deliberately - fear. I want to make them fear the police."

Some might suggest a more effective course of action. Criminologists James Q. Wilson and George Kelling (another link to balance that out is here)would suggest that there is a better, easier, cheaper, potentially non-violent way to reduce crime without having cops going around brutalising anyone who steps out of line.

I never suggested that cops should brutalise anyone, I think that "fear" doesn't translate into brutality but the fear of getting caught and facing the legal consequences. I was agreeing with the article that Howard made good points.The broken window strategy you linked to is a great starting point, in fact someone suggested Giuliani might do well to go run the UK Bobbies for a while in, say, London! Mr Voice didn't like that.Your second link is, I think, incomplete.